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Monday, September 17, 2012

Lake Crescent, Biking and Cousins

Friday September 14,After some grocery shopping in Port Angeles, we went to the Fairholme campground in Olympic National Park to set up for the next three days. We wanted a spot with a view and I think we got one.

After we set up, I found a "lovely" dirt road that went partway up Hurricane Ridge. It was marked as not for trailers and they were not kidding. It was a single lane dirt road that went up and up with a few pull-offs to allow the logging trucks to roar on past. It really kept me awake! After much twisting and turning we made it to the top of Hurricane Ridge. As you can tell, we are back in the smoke. Not the best photograph. That's Mount Olympus that you see with the glacier.

Before getting back on the winding dirt road we stopped and looked at some trees and plants at Heart O’ the Hills.

By the time we made it back to camp we were tired and ready to eat, drink, read and sleep.Saturday September 15Cousins Ward and Sharon live in Bremerton, Washington and they suggested we meet at this campground because of the neat bike ride we could take together. They arrived, got a campsite and we got biking....

The bike trail is the Spuce Railroad Trail that goes along the shore of Lake Crescent. It is more a single track than a rail to trail path. Sometimes the trail made us nervous so we walked our bikes instead of riding them!

A spot on the trail called out LUNCH TIME and we took it!

This trail kinda ended by getting too rough for us...so we turned back and the path past the parking lot turned into a brand new paved rails to trails! So we went on it for a bit. Seems we biked a total of 12 miles before we called it quits for the day. We went back to the campground and had a wonderful picnic supper that Sharon had made including this wonderful corn salad that I loved. Wine and a lakefront view made for a wonderful setting as we sat and talked about retirement (me) and jobs (them)!

Sunday September 16 Seems we were rather silly and didn't get any photos of the new trail. Which is a shame because after a late lunch with Ward and Sharon, Lew and I biked the trail to where it hits 101 at Sol Duc Road. It was a neat asphalt trail with some nice sized Douglas Fir trees and views of the lake.

Monday September 17Katz woke Lew at 5:30 Pacific Time by pulling a cat trick. She vomited on him and part of my bed! That makes an early start of the day! We decided to drive down Sol Duc road and see the hot springs. On the way, I spotted the new bike trail as it went close to the road! We stopped and did a short walk called the Ancient Groves. Again no pics, it was early and too gloomy. Part of it overlooked the Sol Duc River. Then we made a decision to spend money on a campground. We drove to La Push Campground where we could get right on the ocean. Isn't it simply lovely? This is the view out our front window. Nice ocean sounds too.